Hood latch



C. F. KRAMER July 21, 1953 HOOD LATCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 17, 1950 CF KRAMER INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS In! U C. F. KRAMER July 21, 1953 HOOD LATCH 2 Sheets sheet '2 Filed Aug. 17, 1950 F A 5 5 gig??? BY Q7 7 7 O9 .&14%

A T TOR NEVS Patented July 2l, 1953 UNITED "STATE noon LATCH V I Clarence F. Kramer, Birmingham, Michi, assignor to Ford Motor. Company,

poration of Delaware Detroit, Mich., a cor- Application August 17, 1950, SerialNo. 179,985 {'1 Claim. (01. 292-44) This invention relates to hood latches for motor vehicles. 2

An object of the present invention is to provide a heavy duty hood latch particularly suited for use on trucks but also suitable for use on other motor vehicles as well. The hood latch is adapted to be released either directly by reaching through an opening in'ithe radiator grille, or remotely by means of suitable remote controls. It contains a minimum of parts all of relatively simple construction, thus effecting economy in manufacture and assembly.

A further. object ofthe invention is to provide a hood latch whichis self-centering in operation to automatically center the hood transversely of the vehicle when the hoodis closed.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a hood latch'comprising a pair of coopcrating interlocking mounted for rotation about horizontal transversely spaced axes, the interlock between the two cam members insuring simultaneous operation cam members pivotally '20 both during the latching and unlatching opera- 7 tions. One of the cam members is engaged by a spring .to automatically raise the hood a short distance when released, and the other is engaged by'a suitable' -pawl to releasably hold the cam members in their latched position and also to limit the opening movement of the members. A U-shaped striker is used which permits longi tudinal misalignment between the latch and striker without effecting the operation of the latch. Longitudinal movement of the hood in relation to the grille in the latched positionisalso permitted. V

Another object of the invention is to provide a hood latch having a pair of cooperating pivoted cam members provided with jaw portions adapted to embrace the striker in the closed position of the hood, oneof the cam members being provided tional view through the forward portion of a motor vehicle, and showing the hood latch therefor in elevation. l

' Figure 2 is a fragmentaryplan view; of the I construction shown in Figure 1, taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1. I

' Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken. on the ,line 33 of Figure 1 and showing the latch mechanism in its closed or latched position.

- Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to Figure 3 but showing the latch in its open or unlatched position.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to Figure 1, the reference character II indicates the hood of a motor vehicle such as a truck. The hood covers the engine compartment of the vehicle and is hinged at its rearward edge in the conventional manner (not shown). At its forward end the hood I I is provided with upper lockingplate l2 extending between opposite sides of the hood and suitably securedthereto' Directly beneath the locking plate I2 of the hood in its closed position is a lower locking plate [3 forming a front structural member of the. vehicle body and extending transversely thereof. The

lower locking plate I3. carries a pair of transversely spaced rubber stops I4 engageable with the upper locking plate to limit downward movement of the hood and provide a resilient stop therefor. I

, tion of; the hood.

The'lower locking plate I3 is formed with a transversely extending depression I8. The floor of the depression is formed with cross-shaped opening I9. The transversely extending-portion of the cross-shaped opening provides clearance for the latch, mechanism to be described hereafter, while the short longitudinally extending central portion forms an opening for the U- shaped striker It to project through into latching engagement with the latch mechanism.

Before describing the latch mechanism of the present invention, it is noted that the upper portion of the radiator grille 2l' extends forwardly from the forward portion of the lower locking plate l3 and is spaced above the grille bar '22 to :provide an opening 23 therebetween.

- This opening provides access to the manually operated release mechanism of the latch. A conventional auxiliary hood catch 24 is provided, the catch being pivotally mounted upon a pair of L-shaped brackets 26 secured to the forward portion of the lower locking plate IS. A spring 21 urges the auxiliary catch 24 in a counterclockwise direction to enable the catch to engage the shoulder 28 formed on the upper locking plate I2: carriedby the hood. A-s'afety catch'is thus provided which may be manually released after the main latch mechanism is released and the hood raised a short distance.

The main hood latch is mounted upon a generally U-shaped bracket formed of a front lock plate 3| and a rear lock plate 32.-Therear lock plate 32 is formed with a lower-marginal*-fiange 33 welded tot-he lower edge of the front plate 3| to secure the two platesatogetheninapredetermined spaced relationship. The upper portions of the two plates are ofiset towardeaoh other to form a narrow opening therebetween,

- the width of the opening'zsbeing :maintaine'd by 'means of ears 34 bent rearwar'dly from theiupper portion of the front plate 3| and engagingthe forward face of the rearplate- BZ. Each iof the plates "is providedwith a generally V shaped notch-55in its upperedge-to provide clearance "for the U-shaped"striker-16. lnaddition each of the plates 3|= and" 32 are formed w'ith-a pair of laterally spaced horizontally-extending flanges 31 and-33" projecting from the upper edges of the plate. The*flanges 3'| and- '38-- are /seated .upon' the floor of the depressed portion 48 of the 'lower'plate |3 and-aresecured thereto by bolts-39. It will be noted that'the platesfi land 32"extend downwardly through'the opening 49 "formed in the lower locking plate.

It is bestseen in Figures Sand 4, a pair of cam 'merhbers 4| and42 -are pivotall mounted between the front and rear-'plates 3| an-d '32nof the supporting bracket for pivotal-movement about horizontaltransversely spaced axes formed by rivets-43. Rivets 43 not only form-pivots 'for the cam meinbersjbutalsosecure the front andrear'plates -3i--=and BZ bf-the supporting brackets together in the-proper spaced relationship determined by the ears 34. The i spacing of theplatesis such asto' form -a guideway for the'cammembers during their pivotal mov'ement.

The 1 cammembers 4iand 42 have -jaw por-.

'tions 44 and-4B adapted to abut each 'oth'er in the closed position 'of the hood latch as shown .inFigure 3. "In the-pen-position ot-"thehood latchshown iii-Figure 4, the jaw portions-44'and 146 of" the cam membersoiorm *a 'generally V shaped entrance opening for "the -U-shaped striker Hi. The two cam rnembers ll' a-nd' 42- are also formed with integral-interlocking projections 41 andB respectively. "The projection 4'! on the cam membercl' extends laterally beyond the edge of the jaw portion 44 and is separated .therefrom' by a shallow groove" 49. Similarly, the projection; on theicam member 42 extends v laterally beyondthe edge ofithe jaw portion--46 .and is separated therefrom by shallow groove and adeep groove52. In the closed position .cnthe' hood latch asjshown inFigure' 3, the two aligned shallowigrooves 49 and. 5| form a cavity for .the reception and retention; ofthestriker i6, while thedeeper groove 52 inthe cam--member' 42., provides clearance for the projection 41 of the cam member 4|.

The cam, member-4| is'formed with a deep groove" 53 'beneath the-projection 4l -and -with an *extending' tongue 1 54 "beneath :ithe- -"-grooye.?

. engages-the: projection 48 on the cam member 42, the latter 'is simultaneously swung in a counterclockwise direction and the parts are moved to the position shown in Figure 4 when i-the-latch is released.

As best seen in Figures 1 and 5, a pair of L=shaped braokets58 are spot welded to the for- "operable lockingpawl 59 pivotally secured to ward*plate'3|-' to form a support for a manually .thebrackets-by means of a pivot pin 6|. A spring 62 encircles the pivot pin 6|, the upper end of the "spring being seated against the front plate 3! and the lower end engaging the lower end .ofzithefltlo'ckingi pawl 531130 constantly urge the pawl in a counterclockwise direction as .vie'wed min "Figure1..1.

. pivotal *movement of the pawl.

' I: The .loweriarm'"'64' ofiihelocking: pawl 59 ex- :tends downwardly. and forms a'handle' which may beiz'manually. operated by. reaching through the 1 opening -231aprovided between: the .grille partsZ i and 22.

extending arm- 66 engageable with the face-of Thelockingpawl 59 has an :upwardly thehfront plate 3| to form astop limitingv the In addition, the locking pawl 59 also has a rearwardly extending locking flange '6? extending throughaligned slots -58 formed in the front .and rear plates 3| and 32 of the supporting bracket.

The camniernber '42 is formed with a pair of teeth 69 andlialong its lower edge. In the closed position ofsthe latch mechanism as shown in Figure 3, the-locking flange 51 ofthe locking pawl 59 is in engagement with the tooth' 69 of the cam member. to positively hold the two cam -membersin their closed position. :Manualopera-tion of, the handle portion fi4-ofthe locking pawl 59 to swing the locking. flange 5?. downwardly-out of engagement with the tooth 69 permits the two 'cam members to be swung upwardly under-theactiongofythe spiral spring- 56 to the open-positionshown in'Figure 4. It will be noted that. in" this position the locking flange 61' of the locking pawl-is engaged by the tooth 1| of-qthe cam rmember 42' .to-limit the upward :swingingxmovement ofthe cam members and .to ir iproperlyposition themfor subsequent movement to'ttheir closed. position: whenthe'hoodgisagain lowered.

'tltzwillibe notedithathin the open position of the. hoodlatch asishown Figure 4,1the projec- ':.:tion14!;iofi the cam :Imember 4| is in alignment .with the normal :path .of the striker 55 so as to be engagedtherebyduring the closing movement of the hood. Should; the hood be laterally displaced for-an reason, the. V-shaped opening formed by'the jaw portions! and 46 of the cam members will guide the striker i5 towardacentral position, and since "the projection -tl extends substantially entirely. across 5 the bottom of theopen guideway thus forrned; the 'striker must necessarily engage the projection 4'5; Further'downward movement ofthehood and striker swings the camrmember" 4| downwardly, and s1mu1taneously;i through the. :interlock provided by-projecitionsrfkand 148, swings the associated camr member 1.42 idownwa'rdly. g T The striker is s. automatically,centered :in the q cavity" formed: by

the shallow grooves 49 and 5 ;.in.the,twccam members, this cavity being closed by the abutting jaw portions 44 and 48 at its upper side and by the projection 41 at its lower side to positively retain the striker in latched position.

A second spiral-spring i3 is anchored to a pair of lugs 74 struck out from the rear plate 32.

The free end of the spring is positioned to exert spring pressure upon the striker it in its latched position to prevent rattling.

The above described hood latch is extremely sturdy in construction, is formed of a relatively few easily manufactured parts, and is positive in operation." It automatically centers the hood and striker, permits a limited longitudinal move- 'striker and hood connected thereto, upward movement of the hood being limited by the safety catch 24. w

It will beunderstood that the inventionis not to be limited to the exact construction shown and described, but that' vario'us changes and modifications may be made withoutv departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appendedclaim.

What is claimed is:

In a motor vehicle havinga pivotally mounted hood with a U-shaped striker depending therefrom and a body member beneath the forward end of said hood having an opening for the striker to pass through, a latch device comprising a U-shaped bracket having front and rear wallspositioned beneath said body member and extending transversely of said vehicle in a vertical plane, horizontal attaching flanges on the front and rear walls of said bracket attached to said body member, a pair of interlocked cam members pivotally mounted between the front and rear walls of said bracket about laterally spaced horizontal axes, jaw portions on said cam members engageable with said striker, aspring urged pawl pivotally mounted on one of the walls of said bracket and projecting through an elongated slot in said last-mentioned wall into the space between said walls, a ratchet tooth on one of said cam members. engaged by said pawl to hold said cam members in striker retaining position, spring means acting upon the other of said members to simultaneously move said cam members'toward their open unlatched position upon release of said pawl from said ratchet tooth, and i a second tooth on said first mentioned cam member engaged by said pawl in the unlocked position of said cam members tollmit their movement, said elongated slot permitting movement of said pawl between positions engaging said first and secondteeth but preventing movement of said pawl to a point out of engagement with both of said teeth.

. CLARENCE F. KRAMER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PA'IEN'IS Number Name Date 689,074 Ferris Dec. 17, 1901 1,544,960 Watts July '7, 1925 1,937,520 Lightner Dec. 5, 1933 2,508,090 Beems et a1 May 16, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 24,569 Norway May.4, 1914 174,827 Germany Sept. 24, 1906 604,941 Great Britain July 13, 1948 

